see Annex

Overseas large-scale farmland acquisitions for food production made by Chinese companies since 2006
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Angola
CAMCE
China CAMC
4.500
Rice
Done
CAMCE is a subsidiary of the China National Machinery Industry Corporation. In April
Engineering Co. Ltd
2011, the Angolan Press Agency reported that the Angolan government had approved
CAMCE’s proposed project to construct a rice mill in Longa and establish a 1,500- ha
pilot rice farm in the area. In its entirety, the farm, known as Fazenda Agro Industrial
do Longa, occupies 4,500 ha of land. China National Development Bank has provided
CAMCE with a credit line for the project of approximately US$76 million.
Angola
CITIC Construction Co.
CITIC Group Co.
50.000
Soybeans,
Done
CITIC Construction Co, a subsidiary of CITIC Group Co, leases 20,000 ha for the produc-
maize and
tion of soybeans and wheat in Angola since 2008. In November 2014, the company
wheat
announced plans to invest US$5 billion ito develop farming operations on 500,000 ha in
Angola to produce maize, soybeans and wheat. This was followed, in September 2015,
by reports that the company had initiatied negotiations with the Angolan government for
an additional 30,000 ha to farm in Bie province. CITIC has been active in Angola since
2008, on a contract worth US$10 billion, for the construction of 20,000 houses, shops,
crèches and schools.
Argentina
COFCO
China Grains and Oils
22.000
Group Corporation
Soybeans,
Done
In 2014 the state-run company COFCO bought a controlling 51% stake in Nidera, the
wheat and
Netherlands-based agricultural trading company. The purchase totalled US$1.2 billion.
maize
Soybean, wheat and maize are the major commodities traded by Nidera. The company’s
presence is particularly strong in Argentina, where it leases a total of 22,000 ha. The deal
gives COFCO organisational capabilities in South America, since the company also has
further subsidiaries in Brazil and Uruguay.
Argentina
Beidahuang
Heilongjian Beidahuang
Nongken Group Co.
320.000
Soybeans
Paused
State-owned Heilongjian Beidahuang Nongken Group Co. is the largest farming company in China, managing over 2 million ha of farmland in the Province of Heilongjiang.
Since 2008 the company has been expanding its farming operations overseas. The
company was planning to start a project in Argentina, covering 320,000 ha of land, with
an investment of US$1,500 million. However, the project was stalled due to objections
from provincial officials over the lack of consultation with local communities and the over
concerns about the concentration of land.
1
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Australia
Beidahuang
Beidahuang
36.500
Wheat
Done
State-owned Beidahuang is the largest farming company in China, managing over 2
million ha of farmland in the Province of Heilongjiang. Since 2008, the company has
been expanding its farming operations overseas. In 2011, through its Australian subsidiary, Heilongjiang Feng Agricultural, Beidahuan acquired three grain farms in Western
Australia, totallling 36,500 ha. Tthe company also acquired leases over an additional
51,000 ha but these were abandoned in 2015. The farms are managed by the Austrlian
company Vickstock Grain.
Australia
Heilongjiang Feng
Heilongjian Beidahuang
Agricultural
Nongken Group Co.
85.000
Wheat and
Done
livestock
State-owned Heilongjian Beidahuang Nongken Group Co. is the largest farming company
in China, managing over 2 million ha of farmland in the Province of Heilongjiang. Since
2008 the company has been expanding its farming operations overseas. Beidahuang
is also active in Western Australia in the sectors of dairy and grain farms. By 2013,
Heilongjiang Feng Agricultural, the Australian registered subsidiary of Beidahuang, had
bought 85,500 ha of farmland in the wheat belt. It also acquired a 16- year lease on
port facilities in Albany to vertically integrate its operations and export grain to China.
The company says it is also interested in investing in livestock and intends to expand
operations to 100,000 ha. Thus far, Beidahuang has spent US$70.2 million on total land
purchases in Australia.
Australia
Union Agriculture
Jiahe Brewery
2.800
Cattle,
Done
sheep
In December 2011, Union Agriculture, a subsidairy of Jiahe Brewery, bought the 2,800
ha Mount Falcon Station, which runs sheep and cattle, from Austrlian businessman Sean
Howard for A$6 million. Union Agriculture then purchased the 4,108 hectare Bobbara
Station at Galong New South Wales, for A$13.8 millions, which farms cattle, wheat,
canola, and lupins.
Australia
Nanshan Group
Nanshan Group
30.000
Superfine
Done
wool
In January 2012, the Australian Financial Review reported that Nanshan Group, the
188th-largest enterprise in China, had made an offer for four sheep farms in New South
Wales and Tasmania. It is not clear if these deals went through, however, Nanshan does
state on its website that it sources wool from its own sheep farms in Australia
Australia
Australian Fresh Milk
New Hope Group
2.700
Dairy farm
Done
Holdings
The New Hope Group is China’s largest suppliers of meat, egg and dairy. In 2015, it
established a $500 million joint venturew with Milies-Perich Family’s Leppington Pastoral
Company and Freedom Foods, called Australian Fresh Milk Holdings, to acquire dairy
farms in Australia. Its first acquisition was of the 2,700 ha Moxey dairy farm.
Australia
Orient Agriculture
Orient Agriculture
11.935
Mixed
farming
Done
In 2014, Shanghai-based Orient Agriculture bought Undabri, an 11,935 ha mixed farming operation in southwest Queensland, for US$30 million. Real estate and agricultural
investor Craig Doyle formerly owned the property. The current operations of the farm are
unclear.
2
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Australia
Shaanxi Kingbull
Shaanxi Kingbull
5.000
Livestock
Done
The state owned company Shaanxi Kingbull Livestock Co. Ltd bought a 5,000 ha cattle
Livestock Co. Ltd
Livestock Co. Ltd
station in 2012 in order to annually import 10,000 beef cattle and calves. In 2014 the
company stated its hopes to import some 40,000 cattle over the next 10 years. Kingbull
has more than 80 feedlots in China’s Shaanxi Province, each holding between 300 and
1,000 cattle. The outcome of this project is unclear.
Australia
Kimberley Agricultural
Shanghai Zhongfu
15.200
Investment Pty Ltd
Sugar,
Done
sorhgum
Kimberley Agricultural Investment Pty Ltd (KAI) is the Australian subsidiary of the
Chinese company Shanghai Zhongfu. In 2012, the company signed a deal with the
Western Australia government to invest $511 million in clearning and developing two
parcels of land amounting to 15,200 ha that are part of the Ord River irrigation scheme.
The company ultimately plans to grow sugar but has started with chia cultivation. By
May 2015, the company had cleared 600 ha, of which 250 is to be used for chia and the
rest sorghum.
Australia
Balfour Downs Pastoral
Tianma Bearing Group
Coy Ltd
Co., Ltd
705.700
Cattle
Done
In 2015, China’s Tianma Bearing Group, acquired the 705,700 ha Woologorang and
Wentworth stations in Queensland for US$34.62 million, thorugh its subsidiary Balfour
Downs Pastoral Co Ltd,
Australia
Rifa Australia
Zhejiang RIFA Holding
5.350
Livestock
Done
Group
In 2014, the Zhejiang RIFA Holding Group, a Chinese textile copany, acquired the 2,500
ha Blackwood livestock farm for A$14 million and another 2,850 ha grazing property for
A$23 million. It was also reported to be negotiating to buy another pastoral estate of
26,000 ha for A$20 million.
Benin
La Sucrerie de
China National Complete 4.800
Cassava and Done
The China National Complete Import and Export Corporation Group (COMPLANT) func-
COMPLANT de Benin
Import and Export
sugarcane
tioned as a foreign-aid office for China until 1993. While it now trades on the Shenzhen
S.A
Corporation Group
Stock Exchange, its controlling shareholder is the State Development & Investment
(COMPLANT)
Corporation, the largest state-owned investment holding company in China. The company is involved in a number of construction and infrastructure projects overseas and
several agricultural projects. In 2010, COMPLANT and the US$5-billion China-Africa
Development Fund set up ethanol projects in various African countries. COMPLANT
proposed the construction of a 4,800 ha sugarcane and cassava venture in Benin, where
it is functioning through its subsidiary La Sucrerie de COMPLANT de Benin S.A. In 2013
workers in the Benin factory complained about working conditions and halted production
until late 2014.
3
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Bolivia
Pengxin Group Co.
Pengxin Group Co.
12.500
Soybean,
Done
Shanghai real-estate mogul Jiang Zhaobai, Chairman and owner of the Shanghai Pengxin
sorghum
Group Co., has been investing heavily in farmland over the past few years. In China, it
and maize
acquired 650 ha of farmland near Shanghai, used for sheep, wheat and soybeans, and
has another 930-ha sheep farm in Shandong Province. Outside China, in 2005, the company bought 60% of shares in a 12,500 ha Bolivian soybean, sorghum and maize farm in
the department of Santa Cruz. It invested more than US$20 million in this venture.
Brazil
Chongqing Grain Group
Chongqing Grain Group
100.000
Soybean
Done
Chongqing Grain Group is one of China’s largest state-owned grain corporations. In April
2010, the company announced plans for a US$300 million soybean project in Bahia,
Brazil that would include infrastructure construction and control over 100,000 ha of
land, with option to expand to 200,000 ha. Brazilian authorities publicly denied that
the deal involved the transfer of lands, but, in February 2011, Huang Qifan, the mayor of
Chongqing, in an interview with the state TC channel CCTV, reiterated that the company
had been allocated the land and that the project would be managed by a joint venture
company 70% owned by Chongqing Grain and 30% by Brazilian investors, with partnerships worked out with local producers. He also said that the company would invest
US$879 million in the project, with much of this being provided by the Development
Bank of China. However, progress and the promised investment has been very slow. By
2014, the company had only managed to bulldoze a 100 ha area where the crushing plant
was planned to stand.
Brazil
Noble Agri
COFCO Corp
145.000
Sugar cane
Done
In 2014, state-backed COFCO Corp agreed to pay US$1.5 billion for a 51% stake in Noble
Group Ltd’s agribusiness division, which was renamed Noble Agri Limited. Other investors include the China Investment Corp, the World Bank’s IFC and Singapore’s Temasek
Holdings. Throught the deal COFCO acquired control over Noble’s 145,000 ha of sugar
plantations in Brazil.
Brazil
Pengxin Group Co.
Pengxin Group Co.
200.000
Soybean
In
Shanghai real-estate mogul Jiang Zhaobai, Chairman and owner of the Shanghai Pengxin
and cotton
process
Group Co., has been investing heavily in farmland over the past few years. In China, it
acquired 650 ha of farmland near Shanghai, used for sheep, wheat and soybeans, and
has another 930-ha sheep farm in Shandong Province. In Brazil, Pengxin is negotiating to
buy 200,000 ha of land to grow soybeans and cotton.
4
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Bulgaria
Tianjin State Farms
Tianjin State Farms
2.000
Maize,
Done
Under an agreement with the Government of Bulgaria, China’s Tianjin State Farms
Agribusiness Group
Agribusiness Group
alfalfa and
Agribusiness Group Company (TSFAGC) rented 2,000 ha of land in May 2011 to grow
Company (TSFAGC)
Company (TSFAGC)
sunflower
maize, alfalfa and sunflower for export to China. TSFAGC paid an initial ¤10 million for
this transaction. The company is pursuing negotiations for a further 10,000 ha. In 2012,
it was reported by Radio Bulgaria that the company was cultivating half of its allotted
land with maize, without any local employees, due to the technical nature of appliances
used. In 2014 the company announced its intentions to invest US$125.15 million to build
an industrial park for the processing of agricultural products. Investing in Bulgaria gives
Chinese companies access to the European market, as well as acting as a bridge to the
markets of Russia.
Burma
Jilin Fuhua Agricultural
Jilin Fuhua Agricultural
50.000
Science and Technology Science and Technology
Cambodia
Co., Ltd
Co., Ltd
Lan Feng (Cambodia)
Chinese Investor
Rice and
Done
fruit trees
In 2008, China’s Fuhua Group, a Guangdon based corporation, signed a deal with Burma
for 50,000 ha. In 2011, 30,000 ha of this land had been cultivated with rice and more
than 60,000 fruit trees. The current status of the project is unknown.
42.422
International
Sugarcane
Done
and rubber
In 2011, five Chinese companies were awarded economic land concessions by the
government of Cambodia. The five are Lan Feng (Cambodia) International Company
Company Limited,
Limited, Rui Feng (Cambodia) International Company Limited, Heng Yue (Cambodia)
Rui Feng (Cambodia)
International Company Limited, Heng Rui (Cambodia) International Company Limited
International Company
and Heng Non (Cambodia) International Company Limited. It was later discovered by
Limited, Heng
the human rights group Adhoc that these were subsidiaries of the same company, as all
Yue (Cambodia)
were registered with the same address and contact details in Cambodia. Together the 5
International
companies hold leases for a combined 42,422 ha, enabling the company to circumvent
Company Limited,
the legal limit of 10,000 ha per land concession. Lan Feng was allocated 9,015 ha, Rui
Heng Rui (Cambodia)
Feng 8,841 ha, Heng Yue 8,959 ha, Heng Rui 9,119 ha and Heng Non 6,488 ha. The com-
International Company
panies primarily produce sugar cane but also plant acacia and rubber. The operational
Limited and Heng
stage of each subsidiary is also variable. For instance, by 2013, Heng Rui had only cleared
Non (Cambodia)
1,000 ha and Heng Yue had also demarcated 1,000 ha for clearance. Much controversy
International Company
surrounds these land purchases however. According to Adhoc, over 100 villagers in the
Limited
Preah Vihear province complained of sugar plantations encroaching their lands, the felling of communal indigenous forests and the seizure of four local temples. Lan Feng has
also been accused of employing child labour on its plantations and is currently under
investigation.
Cambodia
Chinese Investors
Chinese Investors
8.840
Done
In June 2015, RFA reported that villagers in the province of Preah Vihear were blocking
the clearing of 8,840 ha that had been provided by the government to unnamed Chinese
investors.
5
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Cambodia
GG World Group
GG World Group
5.000
Cashew
Done
In 2005, GG World Group (Cambodia) Development Co., Ltd acquired a 70-year lease
(Cambodia)
(Cambodia)
nuts, teak
for 5,000 ha in the Stung Treng Province for cashew, teak, animal husbandry and a
Development Co., Ltd
Development Co., Ltd
and animal
processing factory. By 2007 the company had sown 1,001 ha. The company also receives
husbandry
significant Canadian investment. In 2014 it was reported by The Phnom Penh Post that
GG was one of 12 companies called by the provincial department of agriculture to explain
why development and output targets were not being met
Cambodia
Siv Guek Investment
HuaYue Group Co., Ltd
10.000
Co. Ltd
Acacia,
Done
In 2006 Siv Guek Investment Co. Ltd leased 10,00 ha of land for the production of acacia,
rubber, teak
rubber, teak and trees. The Cambodian company was purchased by the Chinese group
and trees
HuaYue Group Co., Ltd in 2008. In 2013 the Siv Guek was one of 12 companies called
by provincial officials in Stun Treng to explain why production levels and development
targets were not being met.
Cambodia
Union Development
Union Development
Group
GroupTianjin Union
China is a real estate company that in 2008 acquirted concessions covering 45,100 ha;
Investment Development
in Koh Kong. While the cncession was supposedly for the development of a luxury resort
Group Co., Ltd
the company is reported to be planting cassava instead. There are reports of farmers
45.200
Cassava
Done
The Union Development GroupTianjin Union Investment Development Group Co., Ltd of
having been displaced by the company and the company having encroached on lands
belonging to a national park.
Cambodia
Zhangzhou city
Zhangzhou city
3.000
Done
In May 2011, Xinhua reported that 11 Chinese companies from Zhangzhou had signed up
to invest in a 3,000 ha agricultural park in Tbong Khmum, Cambodia.
Cameroon
Sino-Cam IKO
Shaanxi Overseas
Investment and
Development Co, Ltd
10.000
Rice, maize
In
In 2006, IKO, a subsidiary of Shaanxi Overseas Investment and Development Co, Ltd,
and cassava
process
signed a US$120 million investment agreement with the government of Cameroon,
giving it the Nanga-Eboko rice station and a 99 year lease for another 10,000 ha of land2,000 ha in Nanga-Eboko (close to the rice farm), 4,000 ha in nearby Ndjore District,
and 4,000 ha in the west of the country in Santchou. The mayor and local official,
however, objected that they were not consulted before the concessions were awarded.
Furthermore, workers on the Nanga-Eboko farm have complained of being paid less than
the minimum wage in Cameroon. The company began trials of rice and maize, and also
plans to grow cassava through its Cameroonian subsidiary Sino-Cam IKO Ltd. Reports
suggest, however, that progress on the farms is slow, with the company only cultivating
some 100-150 ha of its 10,000 ha. The company is reported to still be awaiting a completed contract from the government.
6
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Cameroon
GMG Global Ltd
Sinochem
45.000
Oil palm
Done
Through its Singapore subsidiary GMG Global, the Chinese state oil company Sinochem,
acquired a 90% stake in Sud Hévea, a rubber company that was privatised by the
Government of Cameroon in 1996. The company controls an area of 45,000 ha for rubber plantations. In May 2013, Sinochem announced that it would be expanding its plantations by 20,000 ha and that it would begin planting oil palm.
Cuba
DRC
Suntime International
Suntime International
Techno-Economic
Techno-Economic
invested US$50,000 in Cuba to develop rice on 150 ha of land. This project yielded
Cooperation (Group)
Cooperation (Group)
record amounts of rice in Cuba. By 2008 the company had expanded its holdings to
Co., Ltd
Co., Ltd
ZTE Agribusiness
ZTE Ltd
5.000
Rice
Done
In 1996 Suntime International, a company listed in China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region,
5,000 ha.
1.046
Oil palm
Done
Congo
ZTE Corporation is China’s largest telecommunications company, with operations in
more than 140 countries. In 2007, it established ZTE Energy to invest in biofuels and food
production in China and overseas. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, ZTE established
a subsidiary to invest in agriculture, ZTE Agribusiness Congo. The company identified
land for investment in oil palm plantations in Bikoro, Equateur province and was eventually allocated a concession for 100,000 ha by the Council of Ministers in 2007. ZTE
Agribusiness Congo also acquired 258 ha in Menkao, near Kinshasa, in 2008 for a pilot
farm and a 600 ha farm in N’sele, also near to Kinshasa, in 2010. The company claims
that it has suspended its oil palm project mainly due to the poor condition of transportation infrastructure and difficulties in accessing the land. It has instead decided to
focus on smaller agricultural projects of less than 1000 hectares of land. It now has a a
200 hectare oil palm plant nursery and two additional farms of 246 hectares and 600
hectares.
Gambia
Zoeve Seed Company
Zoeve Seed Company
1.000
Rice
Unknown
Zoeve Seed Company is an agricultural investment firm from Chengdu, in China’s
Sichuan Province. The firm is interested in acquiring an MOU for an initial amount of
1,000 ha for the production of rice. The pilot project is set to begin in May 2015. The
company would aim to produce for local consumption but also for export.
Georgia
Chinese Government
Chinese Government
Crops, fish,
In
In 2015, the Governmentt of China signed a memorandum of cooperation for a $20-25
livestock,
process
million investment towards a joint project wiht the Georgian government to develop
tea
agricultural crops , fisheries, livestock, tea, cold storage, infrastructure development and
agro-tourism in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region of Georgia.
7
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Indonesia
Noble Agri Limited
COFCO Corp
68.215
Oil Palm
Done
In 2014, state-backed COFCO Corp agreed to pay US$1.5 billion for a 51% stake in Noble
Group Ltd’s agribusiness division, which was renamed Noble Agri Limited. Other investors include the China Investment Corp, the World Bank’s IFC and Singapore’s Temasek
Holdings. The deal gives COFCO control over Noble’s two Indonesian oil palm plantation
companies: PT Pusaka Agro Lestari and PT Henrison Inti Persada which have land concessions in West Papue covering 35,759 ha and 32,546 ha respectively. So far PT Pusaka
has planted 3,000 ha from the 4,000 ha of land that has been cleared, while PT Henrison
had cleared some 21,500 ha of its allotted land by 2013.
Indonesia
Indonesia
PT Thian Yuan
PT Thian Yuan
Agriculture Technology
Agriculture Technology
Trading
Trading
Tianjin Longwit Minyak
Tianjin Julong Group
dan Grains Industrial
(TJG)
1.000
Cassva and
Done
tapioca
190.000
Oil palm
PT Thian Yuan Agriculture Technology Trading is a Chinese company operating from
Ketapang Regency in Laos. It is negotiating for 1000 ha to grow cassava.
Done
Tianjin Julong Group (TJG) is one of China’s leading companies in the oil palm industry.
TJG’s operations include oil palm cultivation, oil and fats processing, port logistics, trades
Co, Ltd; dan Tianjin
and merchandising. In 2006 TJG expanded overseas, buying oil plantations and building
Julong Minyak dan
a crushing plant in Kalimantan Island, Indonesia. According to the company’s website,
Grains Co.Ltd.; Jingjiang
it has 50,000 ha of palm plantations, as well as reserve land totaling 140,000 ha. It has
Longwit Minyak dan
a number of subsidiaries functioning in Indonesia, including Tianjin Longwit Minyak dan
Grains Industrial Co,
Grains Industrial Co, Ltd, dan Tianjin Julong Minyak dan Grains Co.Ltd., Jingjiang Longwit
Ltd; Jingjiang Longwit
Minyak dan Grains Industrial Co, Ltd, Jingjiang Longwit Minyak dan Grains Pelabuhan
Minyak dan Grains
Co, Ltd and finally PT. Graha Inti Jaya. The latter company leases 24,000 ha of oil palm
Pelabuhan Co, Ltd; PT.
plantations, for which local farmers say they were not compensated.
Graha Inti Jaya
Indonesia
PT ZTE Agribusiness
Indonesia
ZTE Corporation
180.321
Oil palm
Done
ZTE Corporation is China’s largest telecommunications company, with operations
in more than 140 countries. In 2007, it established ZTE Energy to invest in biofuels
and food production in China and overseas. ZTE’s subsidiary in Indonesia is PT ZTE
Agribusiness Indonesia. In 2012, ZTE’s bid for 150,000 ha for oil palm plantations was
rejected because the government restricted new plantations to a maximum of 100,000
ha. However, the company’s website reports that it does indeed hold a 150,000 ha land
reserve in Indonesia’s Papua province and 30,321 ha between Kalimantan and West
Kalimantan, through 4 joint venture companies. ZTE aims to have 50,000-100,000 ha by
2015 and 100,000-200,000 ha by 2020.
8
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Jamaica
Pan Caribbean Sugar
China National Complete 30.000
Company Limited
Import and Export
Sugarcane
Done
The China National Complete Import and Export Corporation Group (COMPLANT) functioned as a foreign-aid office for China until 1993. While it now trades on the Shenzhen
(PCSC)
Corporation Group
Stock Exchange, its controlling shareholder is the State Development & Investment
(COMPLANT)
Corporation, the largest state-owned investment holding company in China. The company is involved in a number of construction and infrastructure projects overseas and
several agricultural projects. The company is also active in Jamaica through its subsidiary Pan Caribbean Sugar Company Limited (PCSC). In August 2011 it purchased three
state owned sugar factories from the government of Jamaica- Frome, Bernard Lodge and
Monymusk. These were purchased for US$9 million and COMPLANT planned to invest
US$156 million in rehabilitation. Under the deal, the company also secured some 30,000
ha of sugarcane land through a 50-year lease agreement, renewable for an additional 25
years. PCSC now owns 70% of the sugar industry in Jamaica.
Laos
Beidahuang
Beidahuang
10.000
Rice, small
Done
State-owned Heilongjian Beidahuang Nongken Group Co. is the largest farming com-
crops and
pany in China, managing over 2 million ha of farmland in the Province of Heilongjiang.
livestock
Since 2008 the company has been expanding its farming operations overseas. In 2013,
Beidahuang reportedly surveyed an area of 10,000 ha in Champassak, Laos for the production of rice, small crops and livestock.
Laos
Chinese Investor
Chinese Investor
10.000
Rice and
Done
livestock
In January 2014, the Vietiane Times reported that a Chinese company had invested $100
million in a 10,000 ha rice, livestock and fruit farm project in the Phonthong district.
the project is part of the government’s land as equity project, under whcih the company
holds 70% of shares in the project, while the villagers get 30%in exchange for providing
their lands. Rice from the project will be produced for export to Asian countries including
China.
Laos
Dynasty Laos
ZTE Corporation
50.000
Cassava
Unknown
ZTE Corporation is China’s largest telecommunications company, with operations in
more than 140 countries. In 2007, it established ZTE Energy to invest in biofuels and food
production in China and overseas. In 2008 the company acquired the right to 50,000 ha
of land to plant cassava in southern Laos in conjunction with its local partner Dynasty
Laos. ZTE was also given with the possibility raising this to 100,000 ha. The company’s
website, however, makes no mention of this deal and its current status is unknown.
9
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Madagascar
SUCOMA;
China National Complete 10.000
SUCOCOMA
Import and Export
Sugarcane
Done
The China National Complete Import and Export Corporation Group (COMPLANT)
functioned as a foreign-aid office for China until 1993. While it now trades on the
Corporation Group
Shenzhen Stock Exchange, its controlling shareholder is the State Development &
(COMPLANT)
Investment Corporation, the largest state-owned investment holding company in China.
The company is involved in a number of construction and infrastructure projects overseas and several agricultural projects. In Madagascar COMPLANT has been running
three SUCOMA sugar factories since 1997. In 2008, under a twenty-year management
contract, it took over the state-owned sugar refinery SUCOCOMA, giving it control over
10,000 ha for sugar-cane production. In 2014, 2 people were killed and nine injured
at the Morondava sugar factory, after clashes with police. The dispute began between
the Chinese management and the local Malagasy employees over salaries, working
conditions and the dismissal of seasonal workers who had allegedly signed permanent
contracts. Though production was temporarily halted, this swiftly picked up again after
the incident but the future of the site remains uncertain.
Mali
Mali Sugar
China Light Industrial
Conglomerate (MSC);
Corporation for Foreign
Economic and Technical Cooperation (CLETC) entered into a joint venture to establish
N-Sukala S.A.
Economic and Technical
the Mali Sugar Conglomerate (MSC), with CLETC holding 60% of the company and the
Cooperation (CLETC)
government holding 40%. The Conglomerate took control of two sugar factories and
25.700
Sugarcane
Done
In 1996, the Malian government and the China Light Industrial Corporation for Foreign
sugar-cane plantations, based in separate locations, on land amounting to 5,7000 ha.
The sugar factories were also built with Chinese assistance in the 1960s and 1970s. In
2009, the Malian government signed a deal with CLETC to establish a new sugar project,
in which CLETC was given a 50-year renewable lease on 20,000 ha of lands in the Office
du Niger for irrigated sugar-cane production, with a total reported investment of US$41
million. A separate Sino-Malian Joint Stock Company was set up to oversee this project
in June 2009 between CLETC and the Malian government, called N-Sukala S.A. CLETC
holds 60% shares in N-Sukala S.A., while the government holds the remaining 40%. The
company also began building a new sugar cane processing plant and refinery on the site
in 2009, which was completed in 2012. At the time of the agreement, however, villages
were in fact still occupying the land. Allegedly, construction was begun before impact
studies were completed and without prior notification for villagers. As of 2011, only
4,000 ha of the allotted 20,000 ha had been planted.
10
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Mozambique
Wanbao Africa
Três Fontes Investment,
21.333
Rice
Done
In 2005, China’s Hubei State Farm Agribusiness Corp established a rice farm on 1,000
Agriculture
Limited
ha of land provided by the Government of Mozambique, in the Ponela section of the Xai-
Development, Limitada
Xai irrigation system. Hubei SFAC subsequently formed Lianfeng Overseas Agricultural
Development Co Ltd, to expand its activities in Mozambique and other countries in
Africa. The project did not advance, leading private company Wanbao Grain And Oils
Co to take over in 2012, through its Mozambican subsidiary Wanbao Africa Agriculture
Development, Limitada (WAADL). The company was given another 333 ha to develop
rice, soybeans and other cash crops. In December 2012 it then signed a contract with
the Mozambican government to lease 20,000 ha of land for a rice farm in the same
area, with a 50-year lease. In 2013, Wanbao Grain and Oils Co sold 95% of its share in
WAADL to a Mauritian company called Três Fontes Investment, Limited, 5% of the company remains with the businessman Shungong Chai. The owners of Três Fontes are not
known because of company secrecy laws in Mauritius. Local NGOs say the project will
displace more than 80,000 small farmers and that its use of water for irrigation, which is
not restricted, will bring drought to farmers that share the same water source.
Namibia
Namibia Oriental
HongyunHonghe
Tabacco CC
Tobacco Group
10.000
Tobacco,
In
Namibia Oriental Tabacco CC is believed to be a subsidiary of HongyunHonghe Tobacco
maize,
process
Group, which is situated in China’s Yunnan Province. HongyunHonghe is China’s largest
potatoes
and Asia’s top cigarette producer, as well as the world’s fifth largest tobacco company. It
is in the process of acquiring 10,000 ha of land for tobacco and, according to the project
proponents, other crops such as maize and potatoes. This initiative has faced much protest from local youth groups and also the former Minister of Health and Social Services,
who argue that this land should be used solely for the production of food and not
tobacco for export. The first phase of the project is currently in place, as the company’s
pilot project in Katima Mulilo is up and running. The project has been granted an Export
Processing Zone status, a feasibility study has also been conducted and the Ministry of
Environment has given it clearance.
11
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
New Zealand
Natural Dairy (NZ)
Pengxin Group Co.
12.000
Dairy
Done
Shanghai real-estate mogul Jiang Zhaobai, chairman and owner of the Shanghai Pengxin
Holdings Ltd
Group Co., has been investing heavily in farmland over the past few years. In January
2011, Pengxin made an offer to buy Crafer farms in New Zealand, which encompasses
16 dairy farms, through its subsidiary Natural Dairy (NZ) Holdings Ltd, New Zealand’s
government approved the sale in January 2012. The farms cost an estimated US$210
million and cover approximately 8,000 ha. In 2014, Pengxin purchased another 4,000
ha of dairy farms in Canterbury owned by Synlait Farm for US$85.7 million, thorugh its
subsidiary Purata Farms. Pengxin atttempt to purchase the 13,800 ha Lochinver Station
was rejected by the Overseas Investment Office in 2015 and it also abandoned another
$42.7 million deal to buy a cluster of dairy farms in the Bay of Islands thorugh its subsidiary Dakang New Zealand Farm Group.
Nigeria
“Chinese company”
“Chinese company”
20.000
Rice
Done
In May 2013, the Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar, announced that his government had approved the allocation of 20, 000 hectares of land to an unnamed Chinese
company for rice production.
Nigeria
Green Agriculture West
China General
Africa Ltd
Construction
1.875
Rice
Done
The Chinese company Green Agriculture West Africa, a subsidiary of China General
Construction (CGC Nigeria Ltd), obtained a 99-year Certificate of Occupancy in March
2006 for 1,875 ha in Warra, Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The agreement provides for the state to receive two percent of the total yield from the farm. The
All Farmers Association of Nigeria says that so far over 5,000 farmers from Cifamini, an
irrigation farming community, have been displaced by the company
Philippines
Agricultural
Agricultural Department
Department of Guangxi
of Guangxi Zhuang
Zhuang Autonomous
Autonomous Region
40.000
Cassava and Paused
In 2007, the Agricultural Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was alleg-
sugarcane
edly interested in acquiring 40,000 ha of land for the planting of cassava and sugarcane
in the Cagayan Valley. The intention was to invest US$6.2 million in the development of
Region
cassava production on 20,000 ha and US$21.8 million on the development of sugarcane
production on the remaining 20,000 ha. In 2014, the project was reportedly temporarily
halted, due to further consultation with concerned parties.
Philippines
Beidahuang Philippines
Heilongjian Beidahuang
Agro Industrial
Nongken Group Co.
Development Corp
3.000
Rice,
bananas
Done
State-owned Heilongjian Beidahuang Nongken Group Co. is the largest farming company in China, managing over 2 million ha of farmland in the Province of Heilongjiang.
Since 2008 the company has been expanding its farming operations overseas. In the
Philippines, Beidahuang operates through its subsidiary Beidahuang Philippines Agro
Industrial Development Corp, which was jointly established with the Philippines company
AgriNurture Inc.Beidahuang Philippines foucses on hybrid rice and in it acquired an initial
2,000 ha in Luzon for the production of hybrid rice with plans to expand to 10,000 ha
over three years. The ocmpany also acquired a 1,000 ha banana plantation in Mindanao.
12
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Russia
Armada
Dongning Huaxin
50.000
Soybeans,
Done
Dongning Huaxin has been working with local partners in Russia since 2004. It acquired
Industry and Trade
maize, bar-
a 49-year lease for 50,000 ha of farmland in the Primorsky Krai region through its
(Group) Ltd
ley, wheat,
joint venture subsidiary Armada. Armada is allegedly the largest Sino-Russian agricul-
livestock,
tural project and also the biggest farm in the Russian Far East. The company produces
dairy and
soybeans, maize, barley, wheat and meat products, raising 30,000 pigs a year. In 2011
catlle
Armada was reported to have been cultivating 10,000 ha and the companyadmitted that
it had acquired too much land. The company is reported to also be sub-leasings lands to
others, but at a minimum lease size of 500 ha.
Russia
Heilongjiang Province
Heilongjiang Province
380.000
Food crops
Done
In November 2010 it was reported that northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province had
leased 426,667 ha of land in Russia to grow crops.The same report stated that the town
Mudanjiang, which is located in Heilongjiang Province, had already acquired 146,667
ha. Heilongjiang Province borders Russia. A subsequent study by ISS revised the area to
380,000 ha, and noted that the project involved 100 Chinese companies, each with at
least 500 ha of land.
Russia
Huae Sinban Company
Zoje Resources
115.000
Investment
Livestock,
Done
Through its wholly owned subsidiary Huae Sinban Company, Zoje Resources Investment
poultry,
acquired a l49-year lease for 115,000 ha in Eastern Siberia. It says it will invest $450 mil-
cereal,
lion to develop livestock and poultry, cereal, fodder and medicinal plants. Under the pro-
fodder and
ject, the Chinese company will use 50,000 ha of land for grazing livesotck and 65,000
medicinal
hectares for vegetables, wheat and other agricultural products; The Transbaikal regional
plants
government will offer another 85,000 hectares to Zoje Resources once the project is
completed. The company says it expects to increase the alloted land to 200,000 ha and
to supply its products to both the Russian and Chinese markets.
Sierra Leone
Magbass Sugar
China National Complete 1.846
Complex Co Ltd (MSC)
Import and Export
tioned as a foreign-aid office for China until 1993. While it now trades on the Shenzhen
Corporation Group
Stock Exchange, its controlling shareholder is the State Development & Investment
(COMPLANT)
Corporation, the largest state-owned investment holding company in China. The com-
Sugarcane
Done
The China National Complete Import and Export Corporation Group (COMPLANT) func-
pany is involved in a number of construction and infrastructure projects overseas and
several agricultural projects. COMPLANT’s subsidiary in Sierra Leone is called Magbass
Sugar Complex Co Ltd (MSC). MSC owns a sugar-refining factory and operates a 1,845
ha sugar plantation.
13
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Sierra Leone
Shanghai Construction
Shanghai Construction
30.000
Rice and
Done
In January 2012, Shanghai Construction Investment, subsidiary of Shanghai Construction
Investment
Group
rubber
Group, told AFP that it had signed a MOU with the Government of Sierra Leone for a
US$1.3 billion project to develop rice and rubber production. The project, located in the
northern region of Tonkili, includes the construction of railroads and irrigation, as well as
30,000 ha of land. Sierra Leone’s Agriculture Minister Sam Sesay told AFP that the land
had already been secured for the project. The current status of the project is unclear.
Tajikistan
Xinyang Inhai
Xinyang Inhai
6.300
Cereals and
Done
cotton
In early 2015, the Tajik deputy minister of agriculture, Sijovuddin Isroilov, reported that
the company Xinyang Inhai (XI) was renting 6,300 ha of arable land in the Khatlon province in southern Tajikistan. The land will be used for the cultivation of cotton and cereals.
This deal was made after the company’s production of wheat and cotton on an initial 80
ha produced high yields. According to the Times of Central Asia, Xinyang Inhai is the only
Chinese farming company currently operating in Tajikistan.
Uganda
Sichuan Province
Sichuan Province
6.000
Rice
In
In August 2014, Reuters reported that China’s Sichuan province had committed to invest
process
$300 million to build an agri-park in Uganda for the production of cotton, rice and fruits.
The Ugandan government was said to be helping Sichuan’s agricultural department
acquire 6,000 hectares of land from private owners who could choose to lease land to
the Chinese investors or enter equity partnerships.
US
Chinese Investor
Chinese Investor
2.023
Sorghum
Done
In September 2015 China News reported that a Chinese investor had acquired around
2023 ha of land near Houston, Texas for $20 million to grow sorghum.The deal was
arranged through the farmland agent Minor Taylor. The crops will be sent back to produce liquor in China after being stored and processed locally
Venezuela
Heilongjian Beidahuang
Heilongjian Beidahuang
Nongken Group Co.
Nongken Group Co.
60.000
Maize,
Done
State-owned Heilongjian Beidahuang Nongken Group Co. is the largest farming company
rice and
in China, managing over 2 million ha of farmland in the Province of Heilongjiang. Since
soybeans
2008 the company has been expanding its farming operations overseas. Beidahuang
has been active in Venezuela since 2011, as it established a mixed company with the
Venezuelan government. Former President Hugo Chavez at the time announced that
the company would begin work on some 20 million ha of land, although it appears that
this ambitious project never took off under Chavez. In 2013, President Nicolas Maduro
re-opened talks with Beidahuang, after which the company acquired 60,000 ha of land
for the production of maize, rice and soybeans in the state of Guárico, Delta Amacuro,
Barinas, Apure and Portuguesa.
14
COUNTRY
COMPANY
OWNER
HECTARES
CROPS
STATUS
SUMMARY
Zambia
Jilin Province Overseas
Jilin Province Overseas
3.000
Maize and
Done
In 2014, Zambian government officials announced that Jilin Province Overseas
Agricultural Investment
Agricultural Investment
and Development
and Development Group
ha of land. This was after the deputy governor of Jilin Province, Sui Zhongcheng, visited
Group Company
Company Limited
the region. The current status of the project is unclear but, in August 2015, the Zambia-
wheat
Limited
Agricultural Investment and Development Group Company Limited would lease 3,000
China Economic and Trade Co-operation Zone (ZCCZ) signed a strategic co-operation
agreement with 10 enterprises including Jilin.
TOTAL
3.325.106
Source: information collected from farmlandgrab.org. Complete references are available upon request by contacting [email protected].
15